The introduction of a reflective essay, like any strong introduction, should hook readers and make them want to keep reading to find out what happens. What hooks readers? Usually something unusual or surprising, such as an intriguing description, action, or speech.
Read the sample introductions below, and choose which introduction does a better job of grabbing your attention.
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Best Introduction
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My Granny Shingleton kept her hands so soft, you'd think she was made of silk when she touched you. I admired how dedicated she was to this task--the countless applications of lotion and the way she slipped on rubber gloves whenever she washed a dish. That's why it was so strange to watch those delicate hands do what they did that hot morning in July.
One hot morning in July, my grandmother performed CPR on my grandfather. With her soft hands that she always took great care of, she saved his life.
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Only one of these paragraphs contains the kinds specific and unusual details that are likely to draw readers in right away.
Only one of these paragraphs contains the kinds specific and unusual details that are likely to draw readers in right away.
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Best Introduction
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I learned about fist-fighting when a bully punched me in the face in second grade during recess.
I never saw Andy Bennett's balled-up fist coming, but I felt it make contact. As I dropped to the blacktop of my elementary school playground, I braced myself for my first real fight.
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A narrative's introduction should help readers feel as though they're there with you, watching the experience from the inside.
A narrative's introduction should help readers feel as though they're there with you, watching the experience from the inside.
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Best Introduction
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"Can you spare some change?" the elderly man in rags asked as I stepped off the bus at the corner of 35th, a street glittering with upscale clothing stores, restaurants, and theaters.
I'll never forget an encounter with a homeless man begging for change when I went to NYC for the first time.
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Look for the introduction that places readers in the middle of the situation at the heart of the narrative.
Look for the introduction that places readers in the middle of the situation at the heart of the narrative.
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